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falsewrote:

I'm shocked and outraged. How can they demean Hawaii by calling us 47th worst. Who are these people and what gives tim the right to belittle us like that. The State works very hard and passes countless legislation regarding small business… it's rules, regulations, licensing, and taxes. I say these figures are a LIE. Everyone knows Hawaii is number 50 and we demand an apology.

on December 12,2013 | 06:54AM

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richierichwrote:

We can't do anything right.

on December 12,2013 | 07:02AM

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eoewrote:

I guess it depends on what you value. If you value a pro-business climate but don't mind having a 6X higher likelihood of being gunned down maybe you should move to Texas. But if you like to live in a place where 71% of people voted for Obama so you don't have to listen to a bunch of mo rons babbling about what Rush told them on the radio on their commute in, a place that is incredibly safe, has good weather, and property taxes are laughably low maybe you like living here.

on December 12,2013 | 08:23AM

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justin_thymewrote:

You're absolutely right, eoe! The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council is one of the many mouthpieces of the pro-big-business, anti-consumer Republican Right. They have no objectivity and no credibility. The SBEC rigs its ranking criteria according to its political ideology. Shame on the Star Advertiser for not disclosing that this story comes from a biased source.

on December 12,2013 | 09:14AM

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agilewrote:

Go online and search something like "Hawaii worst state for business" and notice the number of entries. Hawaii has been known for years to be abysmal for small business. Why do you think so many new businesses fold here? The state makes it an utter misery of bureaucracy and needless documents and regulations.

on December 12,2013 | 09:13AM

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redneckMTwrote:

I agree.

on December 12,2013 | 11:48AM

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AhiPokewrote:

Rest assured, our legislature is doing everything it can to reach #1.

on December 12,2013 | 07:06AM

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gthx1138ywrote:

...despite itself

on December 12,2013 | 07:09AM

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pcmanwrote:

California has started to overtax business so businesses are actually moving to other states. Several cities in California are going broke because businesses have moved out and those who lost jobs are draining welfare funds and unemployment pay. California still has not figured out why. In Hawaii, when owners retire many businesses close down, they are not continued. Potential business startups are discouraged because of the harsh Federal and State tax laws and prohibitions. When the loss of old jobs out numbers the increase of new jobs, there is a deficit of revenue causing potential bankruptcy. A bad reduction of tourism and Defense funding at the same time could be catastrophic to Hawaii's economic wellbeing.

on December 12,2013 | 07:16AM

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seriouswrote:

Yes, please note they are all D controlled states that rank above us.

on December 12,2013 | 08:28AM

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South76wrote:

One example is the company name Apple--the one that makes I-phone, its headquarter is in northern California but for tax purposes its address is in Nevada...one of the top pro-business state listed.

on December 12,2013 | 10:25AM

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livinginhawaiiwrote:

So were are all the trolls who regularly bash any comment I make about politicians being over paid, taxes being too high, excise tax pyramiding, the Jones act causing inflated rates, too many over paid civil servants and a local government imposing a bureaucratic nightmare on small businesses?

on December 12,2013 | 07:16AM

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GONEGOLFINwrote:

How can anybody bash a statement like that-there is too much correct information to warrant a bashing. However, you forgot to mention the overinvolvement of our government and beaurocratic dysfunction that runs rampid in our state. Otherwise, I think you are on the mark.

on December 12,2013 | 07:51AM

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eoewrote:

Chevron blamed "high cost of doing business" in Hawaii for our high gas prices, then the socialist state of Hawaii forced them to open their books for the first time and history and lo and behold, it was not unions, the Jones act or transportation costs causing our high prices, it was Chevron gouging us, making 25% of their profits from 3% of their customer base (Hawaii). If government wanted to take $500 a year from every man/woman/child in Hawaii every year you "free market solves all" types would be all over it, but when the courts determine a private company was gouging us that much its crickets, the unions and the jones act.

on December 12,2013 | 08:31AM

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eoewrote:

Who cares. We live in a federal system. If you hate it so much then find a state that matches your political beliefs - believe me there are plenty of them.

on December 12,2013 | 08:24AM

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localguywrote:

You can't argue with the truth. Nei bureaucrats haven't got a clue how to make our state better for businesses. All they do is look out for #1. Perhaps we should withhold bureaucrat's pay raises until we score better for business.

on December 12,2013 | 09:51AM

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LanaUlulaniwrote:

The Truth shut them up LOL This is a serious issue. Businesses which are true job creators. Hawai'i's hostile business environment makes it worse for local kids. Without businesses there are no jobs thus opportunities for them to stay at home in Hawai'i.

on December 12,2013 | 12:22PM

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nuuanusamwrote:

Why am I not surprised!

on December 12,2013 | 08:59AM

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eoewrote:

It's called confirmation bias.

on December 12,2013 | 09:23AM

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justin_thymewrote:

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council has no objectivity and no credibility. It is just one of the many mouthpieces of the pro-big-business, anti-consumer Republican Right. The SBEC rigs its ranking criteria according to its political ideology. Shame on the Star Advertiser for not disclosing that this story comes from a biased source!

on December 12,2013 | 09:17AM

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localguywrote:

Say what you want but when you look at financial statistics for the 50 states, the five best and five worst tend to match the stats. Hmmmmmm